Sterilizing device.



R. A. KIEFER.

STERILIZING DEVICE.

APPLICATION IILEI) JULY 24,1913.

Patnted Jan. 5, 1915.

AOR/VEY' WITNESSES uvrnna' PETERS co. FHOTO-LITHLZ. WASHINGTON, D. C.

EUNTTED AE ENT FFTCEO RAYMOND A. KIEFER, 0F RAMSEY, NEW JERSEY.

STERILIZING DEVICE.

Application filed July 24, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RAYMOND A. Knarnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ramsey, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sterilizing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to portable sterilizing devices designed for use by surgeons, dentists, and others who may have occasion to sterilize implements of any kind, and more particularly to a sterilizing device in which the sterilization is accomplished by means of a gas generated or produced by heating a solid substance.

It is well known that formaldehyde, for example, may exist in a solid form from which gaseous formaldehyde may be produced by heating a tablet made up of the solid formaldehyde; and the object of my invention, more specifically stated, is to pr0- vide a convenient sterilizing device designed to use compressed tablets of solid formaldehyde, and to produce gaseous formaldehyde by heating the said tablets.

The drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application illustrates the preferred form of my invention, although it will be understood that the same is capable of being modified in various ways by those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, and that my invention includes such variations and modifications of the particular sterilizing device illustrated as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

Referring to the drawing; Figure 1 is a view illustrating my improved sterilizing device partly in side elevation and partly in section; Fig. 2 is a view illustrating my device upon a vertical transverse plane indicated bv the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a section upon a horizontal plane indicated by the line 33, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view illustrating the same parts as are shown in Fig. 3 in another position.

In the drawings the reference numeral 5 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915. Serial No. 780,879.

designates a sterilizing chamber within which the implements or things to be sterilized are placed, the said chamber being closed as will be understood and being commonly provided with trays to support the instruments. These supports, however, are not shown as they form no part of my invention and are common and well known in the art.

The reference numeral 6 designates a gas generating chamber within which the gas employed for sterilizing is generated from a suitable tablet or substance in a solid form from which the gas may be generated by means of heat. This gas generating chamber is in communication with the sterilizing chamber 5 through a passage or conduit shown at 7, and the reference numeral 8 designates a suitable valve by means of which communication between the sterilizing and gas generating chambers may be interrupted; and by means of which a direct communication may also be established between the sterilizing chamber and the externalatmosphere. Fig. 3 shows the valve in such a position that the gas generating chamber and sterilizing chamber are in communication with one another, while Fig. 4 shows the parts in such a position that the sterilizing chamber is in direct communication through a passage 9, Fig. 1, with a hood 10 of an alcohol or similar lamp 11, which hood in turn is in direct communication with the external atmosphere at its lower end as shown at 12, so that communication between the atmosphere and the interior of the sterilizing chamber is established through the passage 9, the interior of the gas generating chamber 6 and the passage 7. If the valve 8 be turned farther in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 4;, it will be appreciated that the communication between the gas generating chamber and the sterilizing chamber will be entirely interrupted as the edge 13 of the valve passes the edge 14 of the wall of the gas generating chamber.

The valve 8 as illustrated in the drawings is shown as cylindrical in form and hollow,

and as fitting closely within the interior of the gas generating chamber 6, although it will be understood that other forms of valve may be used for accomplishing the purposes hereinbefore set forth. The upper end of the valve 8 in the form illustrated forms a closure for the upper end of the gas generating chamber, and suitable lugs 15 are provided at the upper end of the valve by means of which the same may be rotated about a vertical axis. The valve is held in position. within the chamber by means of a ring 16 at the upper end of the chamber, which ring extends a short distance over the upper end of the valve, as illustrated.

The closed upper end of the valve is shown as provided with a dependent tube or sleeve 17 within which is located a suitable container 18 within which the tablets 19 of solid formaldehyde or similar substance from which a sterilizing gas may be produced are commonly stored, the lower end of the container being closed by a stopper 20. The upper end of the container is preferably provided with a screw thread as shown, which thread engages a corresponding thread formed at the upper end of the valve to thereby hold the container in place within the tube or sleeve.

Located within the gas generating chamher 6 is a receptacle designated by the reference numeral 21, the same being supported by an arm or rod 22 which in turn is supported by a block of heat insulating material 23 secured between suitable flanges 2 1 formed integrally with the wall of the gas generating chamber as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The outer end of the arm 22 is preferably provided with a ring 25, and the proportion and arrangement of the parts are such that the ring lies immediately above the burner 26 ofthe lamp 11, so that the ring will be heated when the lamp is lighted. It will therefore follow that as the ring 25 becomes heated the receptacle 21 will also be heated by conduction through the rod 22, the ring, rod and receptacle being commonly of a metal which is a good conductor of heat, such, for example, as copper, while the block 23 is commonly of slate in order to prevent the flow of heat to the walls of the gas generating chamber.

The particular form of the receptacle 21 is of secondary importance, although I have illustrated it as of cup-like form. The purpose of this receptacle is to receive tablets dropped through the tube or sleeve 17, from which it follows that the receptacle should be located beneath the lower end of the tube in such a position as to catch and hold tablets which may be dropped through the tube. The valve 8 is cut away as shown at 27 in order to clear the rod 22 as the alve rotat d- The reference numeral 28 designates a suitable cap connected with a threaded rod 29 and which cap may be moved downward to cover the burner 26 of the lamp when the device is not in use, as will be understood. The sterilizing chamber 5 is preferably provided with a hydrometer shown conveniently at 30, the purpose of which is to indicate the amount of moisture within the sterilizing chamber.

Such being the construction of my improved sterilizing device, it will be obvious that the container 18 may be removed from the sleeve 17 and one of the tablets removed therefrom and dropped through the sleeve into the receptacle 21, after which the container is replaced to close the gas generating chamber. The lamp is then lighted and the receptacle is heated by heat conducted to it through the arm 22 as above explained, the result being that the tablet is heated and gaseous formaldehyde is liberated and passes into the sterilizing chamber through the passage 7. After the articles within the sterilizing chamber have been exposed to the action of the sterilizing gas for a sufficient length of time, communication between the gas generating chamber and the sterilizing chamber may be interrupted by turning the valve 8, after which the instruments may be removed from the chamber. The instruments may, however, be removed without shutting ofi' communication between the gas generating and sterilizing chambers as, in practice, each tablet will contain a quantity of solid formaldehyde just about suflicient to supply a quantity of gas sufiicient to accomplish the sterilization of the articles inclosed within the sterilizing chamber and will be completely converted into gas by the time complete sterilization is accomplished.

The purpose of arranging the valve in such a way that communication may be established between the exterior atmosphere and the interior of the sterilizing chamber, as shown in Fig. 4, is to permit aqueous vapor to be supplied to the sterilizing chamber. This is accomplished by placing the valve in the position shown in Fig. 4, and lighting the lamp, whereupon the products of combustion, which contain a large percentage of aqueous vapor, will flow through the gas generating chamber and into the sterilizing chamber, it being understood, as

explained above, that the interior of the hood 10 of the lamp is in communication with the atmosphere at its lower end as indicated at 12. It will be obvious that the ring 25 will be heated at the same time that the products of combustion are passing into the sterilizing chamber, and that the sterilizing gas may be generated at the same time and pass into the'sterilizing chamber simult n usly w h the produ ts of combustion and air. After a sufiicient quantity of moisture has entered the sterilizing chamber the valve 8 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3, after which the products of combustion are prevented from passing into the sterilizing chamber, although the sterilizing gas will commonly be generated for a con siderable time after the communication with the atmosphere has been shut 0d, and will pass into the chamber as long as the receptacle 21 is heated or until the solid gas generating substance has been completely converted into gas.

It will be understood that in Figs. 3 and 4: of the drawing the lamp 11 and the hood and other parts thereof are omitted, this being done for the sake of clearness.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a sterilizing device, a gas generating chamber; a receptacle located within said gas generating chamber; a heating device located without said gas generating chamber; a heat conducting element by means of which heat is communicated to said receptacle by conduction, and which element is connected with said receptacle and extends to the outside of said chamber and into a position to be heated by said heating device; and means for supplying a substance from which a gas may be produced to said receptacle.

2. In a sterilizing device, a gas generating chamber; a receptacle located within said chamber and spaced apart from the walls thereof; means whereby heat may be communicated to said receptacle by conduction from a source of heat located without said chamber; and means whereby a substance from which a gas may be produced may be supplied to said receptacle.

8. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber; a receptacle located within said gas generating chamber; a heating device located without said gas generating chamber; a heat conducting element connected with said receptacle and extending without said chamher and into a position to be heated by said heating device; and means for supplying a substance from which a gas may be produced to said receptacle.

4. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber and with the external atmosphere; a heat ing burner without said gas generating chamber and so located that the products of combustion therefrom may pass through said gas generating chamber and into said sterilizing chamber; a receptacle located within said gas generating chamber; a heat conducting element connected with said receptacle and extending into a position to be heated by said burner; and means for supplying a substance from which a gas may be produced to said receptacle.

5. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber and with the external atmosphere; a heating burner without said gas generating chamber and so located that the products of combustion therefrom may pass through said gas generating chamber and into said sterilizing chamber; a valve within said gas generating chamber and adapted to control the communication between the same and said sterilizing chamber and the external atmpsphere; a receptacle located within said gas generating chamber; a heat conducting element connected with said receptacle and extending into a position to be heated by said burner; and means for supplying a substance from which a gas may be produced to said receptacle.

6. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber; a hollow rotatable valve located within said gas generating chamber and adapted to control the communication between the same and said sterilizing chamber, and the upper end of which valve forms a closure for the upper end of said gas generating chamber; a depending sleeve carried by the upper end of said valve; a removable container located within said sleeve; a receptacle located adjacent the lower end of said sleeve; and means located without said gas generating chamber for heating said receptacle.

7. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber; a hollow rotatable valve located within said gas generating chamber and adapted to control the communication between the same and said sterilizing chamber, and the upper end of which valve forms a closure for the upper end of said gas generating chamber; a depending sleeve carried by the upper end of said valve; a removable container located within said sleeve; a receptacle located adjacent the lower end of said sleeve; a heating burner located without said gas generating chamber; and a heat conducting element connected with said receptacle and extending without said chamber and into a position to be heated by said heating burner.

8. In a sterilizing device, a sterilizing chamber; a gas generating chamber in communication with said sterilizing chamber; a heating burner without said gas generating chamber; a conduit through which products of combustion may flow from said burner into said sterilizing chamber; a receptacle located Within said gas generating chamber Signed at New York borough of Manhatand spaced apart from the Walls thereof; a tan'in the county of New York and State of heat conducting element connected With said New York this 21st day of July, A. D. 1913. 10

receptacle and extending into a position to RAYMOND A. KIEFER. 5 be heated by said burner; and means for Witnesses:

supplying a substance from Which a gas may ANNA V. XVALSH,

be produced to said receptacle. GEORGE E. C0011.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). 0." 

